E-car crash leads to battery blaze

Impact test prompts safety probe

To be fair, the crash was intentional. It was a side-impact test performed by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in May, but has now prompted a probe into e-car battery safety, Reuters reports.

And the fire broke out more than three weeks after the prang. The NHTSA said it doesn't know why the fire started.

The NHTSA told the newsagency that it doesn't believe e-cars pose any greater fire risk than petrol-powered vehicles do, but it has approached e-car and battery makers with a view to consulting on battery safety policy.

The Volt contains a 181kg Lithium ion battery pack made by South Korea's LG Chem. It said it was working with the NHTSA and GM on the matter. ®